Anyone looking to get vaccinated against H1N1 in St. Albert will have to turn to a doctor or pharmacist after Wednesday.
The clinic at Grandin Park Plaza is open from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, which is the last day it will operate. Alberta Health Services has begun a phased shutdown of influenza vaccination clinics which that will see all mass clinics closed by Christmas.
Locations in St. Albert and Sherwood Park will remain open until the end of the day Wednesday. Edmonton’s Northgate Centre clinic will remain open until Dec. 19, while those at Westmount and Millbourne Mall will operate until Dec. 23. The locations at Commonwealth Stadium and Rutherford Health Centre closed Saturday.
The program has vaccinated more than a million Albertans but uptake has slowed in recent weeks. Health officials think another wave of influenza infections will hit in February or March but say “it’s a little late” to be waiting until the height of another wave to be immunized.
“I am encouraging everyone to protect themselves and their loved ones against the H1N1 virus as soon as they can, particularly before people start getting together for the holidays,” said Dr. AndrĂ© Corriveau, chief medical officer of health for Alberta Health and Wellness.
Albertans lined up for hours in the first days after the province opened free flu immunization clinics Oct. 26. A vaccine shortage prompted a different, targeted approach that also drew line-ups. Interest in the vaccine has waned since the province opened the program back up to the general public Nov. 30.
This lack of interest is likely related to the cold weather but also because the illness is no longer viewed as a major concern now that the second wave has subsided, said Dr. Gerry Predy, Alberta’s senior medical officer of health.
Alberta Health Services is making the vaccine available to family doctors, pharmacists, some public health clinics and some workplace clinics. The province has sent vaccine to about 500 doctors and 250 pharmacies, Predy said.
Associate Medical Clinic in St. Albert has had vaccine for about a week.
“There’s not a huge demand,” said clinic manager Jean Skuta. “Yesterday we did about 20.”
“It’s a lot of older people are wanting to get it now. They hear there’s supposed to be another wave of it coming.”
A.J. Jomha of Salvus Pharmacy said he wasn’t sure whether he’d start offering vaccine because requests for it have stopped completely in the last three weeks.
“We’re kind of letting the dust settle,” he said. “The soonest we’d be looking at it is possibly in the new year.”
